Old-Fashioned Beef Brisket
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First you brown it beautifully, then you roast it with vegetables - carrots, onions, tomatoes and celery. Serve with golden-brown potatoes and fragrant gravy.
INGREDIENTS
6 to 7-pound brisket of beef
Salt and pepper
2 medium onions
2 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
1 large tomato
2-1/2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flourPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle beef brisket with salt and pepper; place in large skillet. Brown meat, on fat side only, over high heat. While meat is browning, prepare vegetables. Slice onions very thin. Pare carrtos; cut carrots and celery in 1-inch pieces.
Pour boiling water over tomato in bowl; let stand several minutes. Holding tomato on fork, peel skin with sharp knife. Cut tomato in chunks. When meat is well browned, remove it from skillet to a large Dutch oven. Add onion to skillet; sauté until golden.
Spoon onion over meat; surround with carrot, celery and tomato. Add 1 cup of water. Roast, covered, 2-1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is tender.
Prepare potatoes during last hour. Place in saucepan; add boiling water to measure 2-inch and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring potatoes to boiling; boil gently, covered, 20 minutes. Drain; cool. Peel while warm, using a sharp knife. Set peeled potatoes on piece of paper towel, and salt them lightly; turn with fingers to salt all over.
Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add potatoes; cook 5 minutes, then turn carefully with broad spatula to brown all over - several minutes.
Remove brisket to warm serving platter, surround with browned potatoes; keep warm.
Make Gravy - Strain pan juices to remove vegetables. Press vegetables through strainer. Skim fat from pan juices.
In a small bowl, combine flour with 1/4 cup water; stir until smooth. Add to pan juices, along with puréed vegetables. Bring to boiling, stirring until thickened. Serve with brisket.
Makes 10 to 12 servings